Trees are sources of food, especially fruits, critical for healthy diets. Trees also modify microclimate, water and nutrient flows for crops and livestock, and are a source of income, allowing forest-edge communities to be food-sufficient through trade without cutting down forests. Opportunities for ecological intensification, utilizing trees in agricultural landscapes, vary along stages of a tree cover transition of forest alteration and deforestation followed by agroforestation. The nonlinear forest transition curve can provide both a theory of change (similarity of processes) and a theory of place (configuration of state variables). We reviewed local perspectives on food security for four configurations of the forest and landscape transition in Southeast Asia, with local human population densities ranging from less than 10 to 900km−2 to explore how current generic ‘theories of change’ on how to achieve global food security need more explicit ‘theories of place’ that take such differences into account

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a crucial component of soil, through which physical, chemical, and biological characteristics interact in a local context. Within the forest category, the conversion of natural forests to monoculture plantations has raised concerns in Indonesia over the loss of soil functions, similar to conversion to agriculture. In natural forests, SOM can accumulate as part of a closed nutrient cycle with minimal nutrient losses; in plantation forestry, SOM decline and recovery can alternate over time, associated with larger nutrient losses. We reviewed existing studies to quantify how shifts from natural forests to short-rotation plantation forests (SRPF) affect SOM dynamics, soil nutrient contents, and soil-borne pathogens that cause disease. The review combines descriptive and quantitative methods (meta-analysis). The results show that conversion affects the soil C balance, soil structure and water balance, soil nutrient balance, and soil-borne diseases. Contributing factors include the reduced diversity of plant and rhizosphere communities, lower annual litter production, more uniform litter quality, and nutrient removal at the harvest cycle. Conversion from natural to plantation forest conditions also increases plant disease incidence by changing biological control mechanisms.

In Indonesia, smallholders have historically practiced agroforestry, which warrants examination in terms of food and livelihood security within sustainable community forest frameworks. Based on a literature review, we analyzed these two forms of security related to smallholder agroforestry practices. Findings indicate diverse agroforestry systems, with 88% focusing on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and 12% on timber. While 42% prioritize direct food supply, 58% emphasize income generation through product sales. However, agroforestry that does not produce food for direct consumption by smallholders generates revenue for purchasing food necessities. Agroforestry supports both food needs (46–61%) and income (51–54%) for smallholders, surpassing traditional agriculture (13%). Semi-commercial agroforestry (57%) is a predominant livelihood prospect. The remaining 27% are purely subsistence, and 15% are purely commercial. However, the commercialization of agroforestry that focuses only on high-value commodities results in a negative impact on biodiversity. There is a concomitant decrease in environmental services for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Biodiversity remains crucial for climate resilience, health care, and food security in rural communities. Semi-commercial agroforestry is a midpoint for achieving multifunctional agriculture (biodiversity, soil and water conservation, food security, and income) in the climate change era. The research directly related to food security and ecosystem services quantification remains limited, necessitating further investigation. Policy support and incentives are essential for smallholders practicing complex agroforestry for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world, with 17,000 islands of varying sizes and elevations, from lowlands to very high mountains, stretching more than 5000 km eastward from Sabang in Aceh to Merauke in Papua. Although occupying only 1.3% of the world’s land area, Indonesia possesses the third-largest rainforest and the second-highest level of biodiversity, with very high species diversity and endemism. However, during the last two decades, Indonesia has been known as a country with a high level of deforestation, a producer of smoke from burning forests and land, and a producer of carbon emissions. The aim of this paper is to review the environmental history and the long process of Indonesian forest management towards achieving environmental sustainability and community welfare. To do this, we analyze the milestones of Indonesian forest management history, present and future challenges, and provide strategic recommendations toward a viable Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) system. Our review showed that the history of forestry management in Indonesia has evolved through a long process, especially related to contestation over the control of natural resources and supporting policies and regulations. During the process, many efforts have been applied to reduce the deforestation rate, such as a moratorium on permitting primary natural forest and peat land, land rehabilitation and soil conservation, environmental protection, and other significant regulations. Therefore, these efforts should be maintained and improved continuously in the future due to their significant positive impacts on a variety of forest areas toward the achievement of viable SFM. Finally, we conclude that the Indonesian government has struggled to formulate sustainable forest management policies that balance economic, ecological, and social needs, among others, through developing and implementing social forestry instruments, developing and implementing human resource capacity, increasing community literacy, strengthening forest governance by eliminating ambiguity and overlapping regulations, simplification of bureaucracy, revitalization of traditional wisdom, and fair law enforcement.

As part of a broader pattern of recovery after decline called forest transition, tree cover and carbon stocks have increased through agroforestry systems in many parts of Indonesia. The associated tree diversity transition implies that only the most useful parts of local tree flora are promoted. Swampland jelutong, Dyera polyphylla, has been domesticated in peat areas Jambi province, Indonesia. We discuss jelutong domestication in two coastal districts, referring to seven steps in a gradual change from products collected from communal natural forests to specific genotypes managed on private farms. Domestication of D. polyphylla in Jambi was in the initial stages three decades ago, when jelutong latex was directly tapped from the trees in its natural habitat of peat swamp forests. Tapping jelutong latex stopped in 2005 following the national regulation taxing forest products. Some farmers then started jelutong cultivation, motivated by the profitability of trading jelutong latex in the past. Our on-farm study showed that jelutong can be planted in various mixed agroforestry systems, with rubber, coffee or oil palm as dominants. Planted jelutong with good farm management showed diameter growth rates of 1.3 to 1.9 cm year⁻¹. On-farm trials showed that dolomite as soil ameliorant did not affect diameter growth, but had some effect on height. Jelutong planted between young oil palm had the best performance, while jelutong that was underplanted in mature rubber gardens grew slowly. Slow market revival currently constrains further tree domestication of jelutong.

Tata HL, Narendra BH, Mawazin. 2018. Forest and land fires in Pelalawan District, Riau, Indonesia: Drivers, pressures, impacts and responses. Biodiversitas 19: 544-551. Pelalawan District of Riau Province, Indonesia was one of the districts most damaged by fire in 2015. Analysis of factors driving the fires, of pressures arising from the fires and of responses to the fires in Pelalawan District was conducted using two approaches: semi-structured interviews regarding social and policy aspects, and analysis of biophysical factors such as soil properties and spatial data. Results showed that forest functions (i.e. the functions served by different forest types) was positively related to hotspot density (R2=0.9868), while distance to nearest road less affected hotspot distribution (R2=0.1612). Multiple regression analysis of the relationship between hotspots density and four variables resulted in the following model: Y = 0.005384 + 0.000021 Soil Type + 0.000019 Distance to Road + 0.000038 Forest Functions + 0.000017 Land Use type. The pressures were expansion for agriculture, plantation and forest encroachment. Despite many negative impacts of fire, the burning practice on peatland could improve the pH and peat soil fertility (particularly ash and P contents). As a response to fire, a standard operational procedure for forest- and land-fire prevention was launched by the Governor of Riau Province in late 2015. A comprehensive and integrated policy package for forest and land fire prevention and control should include a social dimension in order to effectively reduce fire risk in the district.